Food Insecurity in a Pandemic

Apr 12, 2021

Elizabeth and Anna M. have a conversation with Alex Moore of DC Central Kitchen about food insecurity, the problem with public health messaging that puts too much emphasis on individual responsibility, and ways that we can all contribute to strengthening the impact of organizations like DCCK. 

We discuss: 

• The different types of programs that DC Central kitchen’s (DCCK) runs and the ways in which these programs serve people in the community.
• How the DCCK program that runs kitchens in 16 DC schools was able to pivot to feeding students when the schools closed due to the pandemic.
• How has DCCK addressed the rise in food insecurity and the populations that have been most impacted.
• How public messaging that emphasizes individual responsibility often serves to stigmatize people, which is particularly true for populations who are food insecure. We discuss ways we can change this conversation to de-stigmatize food insecurity (and de-stigmatize bodies, especially larger bodies) in this country.
• Ways that we can all help in the fight against food insecurity across the country.

Alexander Justice Moore is the Chief Development Officer at DC Central Kitchen. His book, The Food Fighters, chronicles DC Central Kitchen’s first twenty-five years on the front lines of hunger and poverty. He was appointed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to the inaugural DC Food Policy Council in 2016 and was named a DC Food Hero by ElevationDC. Moore holds a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College and an M.A. from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

Links:

• DC Central Kitchen 
• DC Central Kitchen Covid-19 Response
• Sunny Side Up Nutrition Podcast
• Lutz, Alexander & Associates Nutrition Therapy
• Pinney Davenport Nutrition